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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25005709">Theirs Will Be An Epic Love Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish'>tehfanglyfish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And Has Every Right To Be, Canon Era, Kilgharrah Is A Smug Shit, Kilgharrah Ships Merlin/Arthur (Merlin), M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash, Set Just Before 1x1: The Dragon's Call, possibly crack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:00:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25005709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Uther asks Kilgharrah for help with Prince Arthur. The dragon's answer is less than ideal.</p><p>“I come to you because I have nowhere else to turn. Arthur’s a menace, completely out of control. He’ll never be the king Camelot needs if he isn’t reined in. If he even lives to be king. I fear his servants will plot a mutiny against him, the way he torments them.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>374</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Theirs Will Be An Epic Love Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>KittenTree, if you're out there, I wanted to gift this to you because you provided the inspiration with <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/18792346/comments/319566328">this comment</a> but AO3 won't pull up a profile for you. </p><p> </p><p>As always, written for the love of Camelot and never for the monies.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the consequences of your own actions.”</p><p>The smug tone instantly reminded Uther of why he’d chosen to confine the dragon in the caverns beneath the castle. His best blacksmiths might have been able to build a cage to withstand the beast’s fiery breath, but it took solid walls of stone to contain its insolence.</p><p>“I command you to help me.”</p><p>“And why should I? You killed off my kind and left me chained so that I might suffer alone.”</p><p>“I spared your life.”</p><p>“Only to have a trophy.”</p><p>“If you do not help me, I will…”</p><p>“What? You killed off all the dragonlords. Your tiny soldiers are no match for me. Only these chains keep you safe. Behold! Camelot’s iron-fisted king, hiding at the entrance to my cave, unable to face me.”</p><p>Uther sighed. The dragon had a point. He’d had to duck back behind the rockface when it let out a burst of fire upon his arrival. There really was no reason for it to help him, even though he desperately needed it to do so.</p><p>“Please,” Uther said, trying a different approach. “I come to you because I have nowhere else to turn. He’s a menace, completely out of control. He’ll never be the king Camelot needs if he isn’t reined in. If he even lives to be king. I fear his servants will plot a mutiny against him, the way he torments them.”</p><p>“And wouldn’t that be the talk of the five kingdoms? Uther’s son snuffed out not on the field of battle, but at the dinner table or in the bath. Maybe the one called George will surprise him with a crossbow. That would be sight to behold.”</p><p>For the first time in decades, Uther regretted his campaign against the dragonlords. Balinor would have been able to do something about the beast’s grating laugh.</p><p>After a moment, the dragon regained its composure.</p><p>“But no. As much as it amuses me to imagine it, that is not to be Arthur’s fate. I will help you, Uther Pendragon.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Uther had lived far too long and betrayed far too many people to simply trust the dragon.</p><p>“Because Arthur is destined to be the Once and Future King, the one to unite Albion and bring about Camelot’s greatest golden age. His name will be remembered for millennia.”</p><p>“And that pleases you?”</p><p>“Yes. For many reasons, none of which I will share with you save one. As I said, Arthur will be remembered. He will become a king of legend, beloved the world over. While you, Uther, will be forgotten.”</p><p>Uther considered this. There would be no future for Camelot if something wasn’t done about Arthur. He could work on securing his own legacy later.</p><p>“Fine. Tell me what to do.”</p><p>“Even as we speak, there is a young man on his way to Camelot. Under the right circumstances, he can tame Arthur, mold him into the king of legend.”</p><p>Uther couldn’t remember any nobles scheduled to visit in the near the future.</p><p>“What family does this young man hail from?”</p><p>“None that you would associate with. He comes from a small village. He has no status, no title, no wealth. But he and your son are two sides of the same coin. If Arthur is to fulfill his destiny, Merlin must be by his side.”</p><p>Villagers always did give their children strange names, Uther thought.</p><p>“And that can be arranged how? I do have to maintain standards of propriety. I can’t simply invite a peasant to dinner.”</p><p>The dragon sighed.</p><p>“I don’t know. Name him Arthur’s servant or something.”</p><p>That might just work, Uther decided. Neither Arthur nor Merlin would be the wiser. Although it could be a trap.</p><p>“How do I know I can trust this Merlin? And how can I locate him?”</p><p>“You’ll find him in less than a week. He will reveal himself when he saves your son from an assassin.”</p><p>“Who is this assassin? I’ll have them executed at once. They…”</p><p>“Are one in a long line of assassins that Merlin will thwart. Not only will he refine your son and help him fulfill his destiny, Merlin will save Arthur’s life more times than you will know, often facing grave danger to do so.”</p><p>It was true that all the people of Camelot should be willing to sacrifice themselves for the royal family. But allegiance to the crown could only go so far.</p><p>“What will he ask in return?”</p><p>Again the dragon laughed.</p><p>“Of course you of all people would ask that question. The answer is nothing. Merlin and Arthur will share a bond so powerful that Merlin will put himself in harm’s way for no other reason that he wouldn’t be able to bear the thought of losing Arthur. And there will be times when Arthur will do the same for him.”</p><p>“That is a strange bond between servant and master.”</p><p>“Uther, there are times when I almost pity you. Theirs will not a bond of fealty and contract – theirs will be a bond of love.”</p><p>“Love?”</p><p>There was something in the dragon’s tone that suggested Uther might want to rethink the letter he was planning to send Lord Godwyn about his daughter.</p><p>“Oh yes. Theirs will be an epic love story passed down through the ages.”</p><p>“How do I stop it?” Arthur couldn’t fall for a man. Uther wouldn’t allow it.</p><p>“You can’t. Not if you want Arthur to succeed as a king. The two are linked. You cannot have one without the other.”</p><p>“I don’t like it.”</p><p>“I expect not. Which is why I’ve chosen to help you. But now I think I’ve heard all of your voice that I care to.”</p><p>From behind his vantage point at the cave’s entrance, Uther heard the beast flap its wings and fly away. He weighed his options.</p><p>Uther knew that sometimes people of the same gender might have relations with one another. He was well aware of what knights got up to while on campaign. He considered it to be physical gratification, nothing more. Certainly not love.</p><p>Not that love was all that important from Uther’s standpoint. He’d always envisioned Arthur marrying a princess to expand Camelot’s holdings and produce heirs. He could ignore the dragon’s advice. The beast might have been lying. And yet, there was something in its delight at delivering the news that made Uther believe it.</p><p>He would wait for a sign. If this Merlin person did selflessly save Arthur’s life, Uther would do as the dragon had told him. For Camelot, of course.</p><p>Maybe he would even start a rumor about Arthur and a serving girl. What was Morgana’s maid’s name? Gwendolyn? Or was it Guinevere? Yes, that would work out nicely. There was already too much court gossip about the nights Guinevere had been staying in Morgana’s chambers.</p><p>Fools the pair of them, Uther thought as he pondered Morgana and Arthur. Why did his children have to let sentiment guide their hearts instead of strategy? That’s what Uther had done and look at how he’d turned out.</p><p>And with the dragon gone and no more advice forthcoming, Uther took his leave of the cavern, returning to his chambers to spend yet another evening alone.</p>
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